Vienna in Fairfax County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

The Great Falls Line

By Craig Swain, January 22, 2010

1. The Great Falls Line Marker

Inscription. The Bluemont Branch of the Washington & Old Dominion was not the railroad’s only line. The Great Falls & Old Dominion Railroad arose in 1906 from the vision of two prominent men. Sen. Stephen B. Elkins of West Virginia had prospered through coal, lumber, and railroads in his home state. John R. McLean was involved in several businesses and owned The Washington Post. Elkins and McLean bought land on the Virginia side of the Potomac River at Great Falls. They turned it into a resort, complete with a carousel, dance pavilion, and an electrified trolley line to bring the crowds from Washington. The largely undeveloped land along the line was idea for residential communities, including one named after McLean.

Location. 38° 54.082′ N, 77° 15.114′ W. Marker is in Vienna, Virginia, in Fairfax County. Marker is on Talahi Road, on the right when traveling north. Click for map. Located along the Washington & Old Dominion Railroad Trail, at the access path from Talahi Road. Marker is in this post office area: Vienna VA 22180, United States of America.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within one mile of this marker, measured as the crow flies

More about this marker. The background of the marker is a picture of a train on the Great Falls Line captioned, “A small steam locomotive stops at Cherrydale in Arlington, along GF&OD around 1908.” The marker also has portraits of John R. McLean and Sen. Stephen Elkins. A small inset reproduces an advertisement used for the W&OD describing services to Great Falls.

This marker is one of a standard set used along the trail, and is duplicated elsewhere.

Credits. This page originally submitted on February 2, 2010, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. This page has been viewed 1,219 times since then. Photos:1, 2. submitted on February 2, 2010, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.